SAN FRANCISCO -- More than any other BMX discipline, flatland is a solitary pursuit, more about personal expression than grabbing big air and pumping up big crowds. No one embodies this spirit more than Trevor Meyer who truly stands alone, peerless even among a group that stands outside the Bike Stunt spotlight.

The Minnesota native is the winningest flatland rider ever. He has won every X Games gold medal ever contested and every Bike Stunt Flatland series title since 1994. Competitors marvel at his consistency but Meyer says the recipe for that is fairly simple.

"I pretty much just go over a trick over and over, thousands of times trying to get it as wired as possible. So that way, come contest time I can pull off my trick."

If practice makes perfect then Meyer has had ample opportunity to do so. At 28 he isn't that much older than most of the other riders but he's been competing in events since the age of 13, far longer than most. And while he admits that there is some inspiration involved, there's just as much perspiration.

"Sometimes I'll come across a trick by accident and sometimes I'll dream up something but I don't think it's all about originality," says Meyer. "I think you gotta have a smooth style and being consistent is also very important. It's cool if you have one hard trick, but you have to have everything pretty wired."

The apparent disparity between flatlanders and the other Bike Stunt disciplines in both popularity and industry funding has been a sore spot for many riders. As the top rider in his sport, though, most of the dollars apportioned to flatland by the bike industry come his way so he doesn't have the concerns that less successful riders in his field do. This leaves him free to concentrate on his riding and accentuate the positive when asked about Bike Stunt Dirt or Park. Meyer sees as many similarities as differences.

"It would be nice to be noticed as much as them but we all like to ride," laughs Meyer. "We're all into the bike. Those guys have the guts but we have the balance."

Maintaining excellence requires more effort than achieving it and Meyer knows that, no matter how successful he's been until now, he is getting older and someone will eventually replace him as the sport's best rider.

"Every year there's a few more riders showing up, the tricks are getting more advanced and the difficulty is really up there with everybody. I'm only gonna be around for so long. There's always new guys. Actually, there are guys here I've never seen before from all over the world. I'm just gonna ride as long as I can"

Other riders may be catching up. Though Meyer is still favored to win the gold medal here there are riders who could push him and have a chance to pull out a victory.

"Probably the favorite to dethrone Trevor would be Nathan Penonzek," said Effraim Catlow, a British rider in the competition. "He's really consistent in competition and he's got good flow and difficult tricks. In a competition it just comes down to what you pull."

In other words, on a good day, several riders have a chance at beating Meyer. For seven years, though, those good days have been scarce and often even that hasn't been enough.

When asked about his future, Meyer doesn't sound like a man who wants to go gently into that good night. He intends to keep competing and, more importantly, keep improving even though his iconic status in flatland is assured.

"I don't think I'll ever accomplish everything I want to do. There's always a new trick to be learned. It's like a never-ending game. I could ride all my life and never feel like I know it all."

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